Apparatus for softening paper.



T. SCHERF. APPARATUS PoR SOPTPNING PAPER..

` APPLICATION FILED MAY 2, 1908. 905,465. Patented Dec. 1, 1908.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

A Tf1/AS:

T. SCHBRF.

APPARATUS FOR SOFTENING PAPER.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 2, 1908.

905,465. Patented Dac. 1, 1908.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

T. SCHERF.

V APPARATUS PoR SOPTPNING PAPER.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 2, 1908. 905 465, Patented Dec. 1, 1908. 4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

T. SCI-IERI'.

APPARATUS FOR SOPTENING PAPER.

APPLICATION FILED MAY'Z, 1908.

905,465. Patented Dec. 1,1908.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

C ff Je. 94 g FIG Z0 `THEODORE SCHRF, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

APPARATUS FOR SOFTNING PAPER.'

Specication of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 1, 190s.

Application led May 2, 1908. Serial No. 530,494.

To all whom 'it 'may concern:

Be it known that I, THEoDoRE SGHERF, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented al certain new 'and useful Improvement in Ap aratus for for'certain purposes, ,over paper which is not soft. For instance, in the manufacture of bags and of paper to be wrapped around electrical conductors or other parts of electrical apparatus for insulating purposes, the paper should be soft and pliable. Furthermore, paper softened in accordance with the apparatus disclosed in my patents can be used in the manufacture of imitation leather. lVhere an effect simulating the appearance of alligators skin is desired, the paper is subjected to the action of reversely inclined ribbing bars. In both of my patents herein' before referred to, the paper is passed through kneading rolls by means of which it is softened and, in the case of multi-layer paper, the layers are loosened from each other at numerous points. Then, by the action of the ribbing bars, the various blister like protuberances which have been formed v by the action of the kneading rolls are folded down upon the other layer vor layers and thus formed into ribs or ridges. lBy reversely inclining .the ribbing bars, the ribs or ridges are caused to cross each other to l-iioduce the appearance of alligator skin, asl hereinbefore explained.

The invention in this case relates more particularly to the feeding and ribbing devices and has for its object to improve the `construction and operationof such devices positively `feeding the paper in proper relation thereto; also in a particularly efficient form and construction of ribbing devices;

also in an effective arrangement of feeding andsoftening devices.

A Generally speaking, the invention may `bel defined as consistin of the combinations of elements embodied in the claims hereto anneXed and illustrated in the drawings forming part hereof, 4wherein Figure l represents a side view of the complete apparatus, a portion of the main frame being broken away; Fig. 2 represents a sectional elevation of one set of ribbin bars, together with the coperating feed and idle rollers by means of which the aper is supplied to and fed in contact with said ribbing bars, the view corresponding to the line 2 2, Fig. 1; Fig. 3 re resents a side elevation of the a paratus s own in the preceding gures; rig. 4 represents a detail in elevation of the mechanism shown at the left-hand end of Fig. 2; Fig. 5 represents a sectional'detail corresponding to line 5-5 of Fig.l 2 looking in the direction of the ai"- rows; Fig. 6 represents an enlarged sectional detail of one set of ribbing rollers taken on the line 6 6 of Fi 7, the rollers being shown in elevation; 7 represents a sectional detail corresponding to the line 7-7 of Fig. 6 looking in the direction of the arrows; Fig. 8 re resents a similar view' corresponding to line 8-8 of Fig. 6, looking in the direction of the arrows; Fig. 9 is a diagrammatic perspective View illustrating themanner in which the paper is subjected to the action of the ribbing mechanism; Fig. 10 isa top plan view of the first 4series of ribbing devices, showing a part of the secare supported. These frames may be pro-V vided each with a forwardly projecting bracket 3 supporting the roll of paper 4. The kneading or breaking rolls aredesignated by 5 and 6, the former rolls being the upper rolls and being mounted in vertically ad]ustable"bearings 7, so as to vary the extent to which the `blades 8 of the two rolls intermesh. These blades extend longitudinally of the rolls 5 and 6 and, as in the case of the construction shown in my patents aforesaid, the. extent of such intermeshing will increase pro ressively from the first to the last set of rol s in the series.

9 denotes a guide roller or idler beneath which the aper passes from the roll 4 and from whic 1t passes between guide rollers having gears 19, said guide rollers being located in front of 'the rst set of kneading rollers.

11 denotes an idler interposed between the kneading rollers and the feed rollers 12, 13, which are located directly at the rear of the kneading rollers and by means of which the paper is fed through the kneading rollers at avgreater peripheral speed than the peripeheral speed of said rollers, as ex lained in my Patent 873,169. The lower ceding roller 12 of each lset is driven from a shaft 14 and. 'the kneading rollers are driven yfrom the lower feeding rollers by means of the gears 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 10 and 20, as ex*- plained in my Patent 873,169. The upper feed roller 13 of each set is mounted 1n a vertically adjustable bearing 21. Suitable idle rollers 22, 23, 24, and 25 and guide rollers 26 and27 are provided'which are so positioned as to direct the paper roperly to the kneading rollers and to the eed rollers.

ln the drawings, l have shown one vertical series of kneading rollers and feeding rollers for purposes of illustration. It will be apparent that any suitable number of such series may be employed, according to v the circumstances of the particular case.

At the rear of the base, there are supported a suitable number of side frames 28 and 29. Between each pair of side frames there is mounted a pair ofribbing devices, also suitable guide rollers for directing the paper in properrelation to the ribbing devices; also feed rollers, by means of which the paper is efficiently fed from one ribbing device to another. Y

Each set of ribbing devices comprises three rollers, with a triangular rib arranged therebetween, one of said rollers being a drive roller cooperating with the other rollers to drive the latter and hold the paper against the edge of the ribbing bar and assist in feeding the paper thereacross. The first pair of slde frames also has a pair of transverse lrneading rollers at the top thereof by means of which the paper is further softened before delivery to the first ribbinfr device, a vertically arranged idle roller and a pair of vertically arranged feeding rollers by means of which the paper is properly directed and positively fed from one ribbing device to anotherralso a pair of transverse bottom feeding rollers, by means of which the paper is positively fed from the second ribbing device. ln addition to the last-mentioned rollers, an idle roller may be emloyed 'to deliver 'the paper to a transverse idle roller at the 'top of the next frame,

' whence it passes to the next series of ribbing devices. This second series may be similar to the first series and as many such series as may be desirable or necessary will be emm aoaeee ployed. At the rear or delivery end of the apparatus, there is provided a pair of feed rollers, by means o1 which the paper will benally 'discharged from the apparatus, being kept under tension by such last set of rollers.

30 and 31 denote the transverse kneading rollers at the top of the first pair of side frames, from which the paper is delivered to the iirst ribbing device, which will now be described in detail.

Each ribbing device comprises a ribbing bar 32, which is generally and preferably triangular in section and is interposed between three rollers 33, 34 and 35. The irst roller is the drive roller for the set and is provided at its outer end with a bevel .gear

36 by means Yof which it is driven from a j suitable drive shaft 37 through a bevel gear 38. Roller 33 is provided with a gear 39 meshing with similar gears v40v and 41 on rollers 34 and 35 respectively. Roller 33 is mounted in journals provided in the side frames 28. Rollers 34 and 35 are mounted respectively in journal lboxes 42 and 43, which journal boxes are reciprocable toward and from the axis of roller 33 as well as transversely to the lines joining the axes of the latter rollers and the axis of roller 33, as indicated in Figs. 7 and 8. Springs 44 and 45 are interposed between said journal boxes and roller 33 to yieldingly resist the adjustment of said journal boxes toward said roller and to move said boxes outwardly when the adjusting screws 46 and 47 are slackened up. By means of screws 48 and 49, the journal boxes 42 and 43 and rollers 34 and 35 may be adjusted toward and from each other and toward and from the ribbing bar 32. This ribbing bar has its faces concaved to correspond 1n contour to the rollers 33, 34 and 35. and has its apex projecting between rollers 34 .and 35. The entire ribbing device, comprising the three rollers and the ribbing bar, extends diagonally across the sdie frames 29 forming 1an angle of 45 defrrees with the top roller '31. The other rib ing'device is also mounted at an angle of 45 degrees with respect to frame members 29 and to roller 31, but is oppositely inclined with) respect to the former device.

The various rollers, including the vertical feed rollers are driven as follows: The rotation of the drive shaft 37 is transmitted by bevel gear 36 to roller 33 and, as previously explained, by gear 39 on saidroller to the gears on rollers 40 and 41. Shaft 37 is also provided with a gear 50 meshin with the gear 5l on a short shaft 52 which 1s provided at its inner end with a gear 53 meshin with the gear 54 on the transverse feed rol er 55. Roller 55 is rotatably mounted on the shaft meshes with a similar gear on the neck of roller 58. Rollers 55 and 58 are the translli') 56 and has on its neck a gear 57 which 'Y transmitted by a bevel gear 64 to the beveli gear 65 of the drive roller 66 of the neXt ribbevel gear on the drive roller of the second 4hing device is maintained, and the paper lis delivered from these rollers to a transverse idle roller 59. y

Shaft 56 is driven as follows: 4.60 denotes a short shaft having a 4pinion 61 at the inner end thereof and a gear 62 at the outer end. The. last-named gear meshes -with the gear- 63'onshaft 56. The motion of shaft 56 is bing device. This ribbing device is identical in construction with the ribbing device hereinbefore described and needs vno detailed description. The only difference between the two ribbing devices is that the arrangement of rollers and ribbing bar is reversed with respect to the arrangement in the first set. For instance, while in 4the first set the' drive roller is on top and the driven rollers beneath, in the next set the drive roller` 66 is beneath and the driven rollers 67 and 68 are on top. The ribbing bar will be correspondingly reversed, having its ribbing edge projecting upwardly between rollers 68 lnstead of downwardly. The paper, after having been fed to the rst ribbing'device, passes. around a vertically extending idle roller 69 mounted at one side of the frame and thence to the vertically extending feed rollers 70 and 71. Roller 70 is provided on its neck with a gear 72 adapted to mesh with'a simi-' lar gear dn roller 71 to drive the latter and is also provided at its end with a bevel gear 73 which is driven as follows: Gear 53 on shaft 52 meshes with a gear 74 on a short transverse shaft 75 having at its outer end a bevel gear 76 meshing with bevel gear 73 on the feed roller 70. By means of a chain 77 and sui/table sprockets, a second shaft 37El may be driven tooperate in like manner the various corresponding rollers in he second side frames 29. The parts in lhe second side` frames are arranged in the same manner as in side frames 28 and need no detailed description. In the second frames, 78 denotes a transverse idle' roller, which takes the place of the kneading lrollers 30, 31 on the rst frame, 79 and 8O the bottom rollers of the first ribbing device, 81 and 82 the top rollers of the second ribbing device, 83 the ribbing device and 84 the bevel gear corresponding to the gear 64. 85 and 86 denote a pair of feed rollers mounted at the bottom of frames 29' by means of which the aper is positively drawn from the last ribA ing device. From rollers 85, 86, the paper 1s led over idle roller 87 to the delivery feed rollers 88, 89 at the rear of the frames 29. These last rollersv serve to kee the paper under such tension that it will always he tight against the ribbing bars should any of the intermediate rollers slip. The kneading rollers 30, 31 are'driven at a slower peri heral speed than the various feed rol ers (which .are all driven at the same rate of peripheral speed) in order to loosen and soften the paper in the manner explained in my prior (patents. conveniently driven from roller 70 by means of a'bevel. gear 90 on the shaft of thelatter roller meshingwith a bevel gear 91'on one vend of a shaft 92 which is provided at its opposite end with a' bevel gear93 meshing with a bevel gear 94 on the roller 31. The two rollers 31 are provided with intermeshing gears whereby one is driven from the other. Vith certain kinds of paper, the rollers '30, 31 will soften and loosen Athe pa` per -suiliciently without the necessity for the series of preliminary kneading rollers 5 and 6.

In operation, the paper designated by A is drawn through each set of kneading rollers 5 and 6 by means of the feeding rolls' 12 and 13, such kneading rollers loosening the layers 30 31, under the ribbing bar 32, in conleaving them adhering at intermediate points, as described in, my prior patents. From the last set of kneading rollers 5 and 6 the paper is fed between the lmeading rollers 30, 31, under the ribbing bar 32, in contact with rollers 33, 34 and 35 thence around idle rollers 69 at the side of the frame,

Rollers 30, 31 may/bepA thence between feed rollers 70 and 71 to the second ribbing device, whence it passes in lcontact with the upwardly directed edge of the ribbing bar ofA this device and between the rollers 66, 67` and 68, 'thence downwardly 2 of ribbing devices, the paper is operated upon opposite sides thereof by the ribbingv bars of each series.

In Fig. 9 the paper'web A is shown in the positions which 1t assumes in assing throu h the first series of ribbing evices. At t e place designated a, it )asses between the kneading rollers 31; at c 1t passes around the first inclined ribbing bar, at d around roller 69, at e between rollers 70 and 71, at f around the second inclined ribbing bar, at g between feed rollers 55 and 58 and at l1, around idle roller 59. In passing through the first series of ribbing devices the paper is' reversed," so that in passing through the two series of devices, both sides of the paper are'twice subjected-to the folding action, producing therein ribs or ridges, which ribs or ridges, with the inclined arrangement of the ribbing bars, cross each other to produce application o f the tractive force thereto in close proximity to such bars. Owing to the` shortness of the web between the ribbing bars and the lines at which the paper is gripped by the rollers, considerable force may be applied to the paper without liability of tearing the same. The adjustability of the two driven rollers 'assures the meshing of the gear teeth thereon with the gear teeth on the driving roller and enables the paper to be operated upon in the most advantageous manner bythe ribbing bars, especially when operating upon an uneven sheet of paper. luder certain conditions, the rollers associated with the ribbing bars need not be in such close proximity as to grip the paper therebetween. For instance, in operating upon light paper, there is no necessity for having vthe rollers actually grip the paper; in operating upon heavy paper, however, the rollers should grip and positively feed the paper. The adjustability of the bearings of the driven rollers enables them to be readily accommodated to the particular kind of paper being operated upon.

Having described my invention, I claim: 1. ln an apparatus for softening paper, the combination of a series of ribbing bars, rollers located on opposite sides of each bar, and means for feeding paper from one of said rollers to the other and across the edge of the interposed bar and from the lastmentioned bar to the rollers at the next bar of the series.

2. ln an apparatus for softening paper, the combination of a ribbing bar, rollers located on opposite sides o' said bar, vand means for feeding paper from one of said rollers to the other and across the edge of the interposed bar.

3. ln an apparatus for softening paper, in combination, a ribbing bar, a roller at the back of said bar. a pair of rollers located on opposite sides of the edge of said bar, means for driving the first mentioned roller, and a driving connection between said roller and the other two rollers.

4. ln an apparatusfor softening paper. in combination, a ribbing bar, a roller at the back of said bar, a pair of rollers located on opposite sides ofthe edge of said bar, means for driving the first mentioned roller, a driving connection between said roller and the other two rollers, and means for adjusting the latter rollers.

lin an apparatus for softening paper, in combination, means for loosening portions of multi-layer paper, ribbing bars for receiving the paper from said loosening means, and

eeaaea feed rollers associated with each of said ribbing bars.

6. In an apparatus for softening paper,in combination, a series. of oppositely inclined ribbing bars, means for loosening portions of the layers of multi-layer paper, and rollers associated with eachof said ribbing bars.

7. In an apparatus for softening paper, in combination, means for loosening portions of multi-layer paper, a pair of inclined ribbing bars, rollers for directing the softened paper to said ribbing bars, and a vertically extending roller operatively interposed between said ribbing bars.l

8. In an apparatus for softening paper, in combination, a frame, a pair of oppositely inclined ribbing bars supported in said frame, means for directing paper to one of said bars, and a pair of vertically extending feed rollers mounted in said frame and operatively interposed between said bars.

9. In an apparatus for softening paper, in combination, a frame having a series of stationary ribbing bars, and feeding rollers associated with each of said bars and arranged to feed the paper thereacross.

10.. In an apparatus for softening paper, in combination, a ribbing bar, and rollers on opposite sides of said bar arranged to direct the pa er thereacross, means for adjusting said ro lers with reference to said bar, and means for feeding the paper from one of said rollers to the other across the edge of the bar.

1l. ln an apparatus for softening paper, in combination, a frame, a pair of oppositely inclined ribbing bars extending diagonally of said frame from side to side thereof, a

4said frame and located at the opposite end of said frame from the rst mentioned rollers.

13. ln an apparatus for softening paper, in combination, means for loosening portions of the layers of multi-layer paper, a pair of oppositcly inclined ribbing bars, a vertical roller loperatively interposed between said ribbing bars, and a pair of transverse feed rollers located beyond the second ribbing bar.

14. A ribbing device comprising a drive roller, a pair of. feed rollers, a ribbing bar y mounted in the space between said rollers,

and connections for driving said feed rollers from the drive roller.

l5. ln a ribbing device, the combination of a ribbing bar having an operating edge, a feed roller mounted on each side of said edge,

llO

a drive roller mounted at the back` of said ribbing bar, and connections for driving the feed rollers vfrom the drive roller.

16. The combination, with a ribbing device comprising a ribbing bar having an operating edge and a roller located on each side of said edge, of means 'for supplying paper from one of said rollers to the other and across the edge of the bar, andmeans for varying the positions of said rollers with respect to said bar.

17. The combination, with a ribbing device comprising a pair of rollers and a ribbing bar having an edge projecting into the space between said rollers, of means -foradjusting said rollers toward and from said bar, and means for supplying paper from one. of said rollers 'to the other and across the i edge of said bar. 20

Y arranged in a triangular group, with the drive roller-at the apex of the triangle, a ribbing vbar in the space between sa1d rollers and having its edge projecting toward the base of the triangle and'between the driven rollers, `connections for driving the latter rollers from the drive roller, and means for adjusting the latter rollers toward the drive roller and toward each other. y

20. In an apparatus for softening paper, the combination of a pair of side frames, an inclined ribbing bar extending therebetween, and an inclined rollerarranged on each side of said bar and extending between said side frames. l

21. In an apparatus for softening paper, the combination of -a pair of oppositely located side frames and a pair of oppositely inclined ribbing bars, each bar having its oppositey ends supported by op osite frames.

22. In an apparatus for sofening paper,

in combination, a series of oppositely in-` clined ribbing bars, means associated with each bar for supplying paper thereacross,

rollers for feeding the paper through said series a second series of o ositel inclined ribbing bars, and rollers or 'feeding paper across the `second series of ribbing bars.

23. In an apparatus for'softening multilayer paper, the combination, with means for loosening portions of said multi-layer paper, of series of ribbing devices, each series comprising oppositely-inclined ribbing bars, and

transverse and vertical feed rollers for feeding paper through each series of ribbing devices.

24. In an apparatus forsoftening paper, the combination, with means for loosening portions of multi-layer paper, of 4means for producing ribs or ridges in said paper, said means comprising rollers arranged at right angles to each other, a-pair of oppositely inclined ribbing bars extending at an angle of 45 degrees with respect to said rollers, and means for feeding the paper from'the last ribbing bar of the series.

25. Ina ribbing device, the combination of rollers arranged in a triangular group, a ribbing barin the space between said rollers and having its operating edge projecting between two of said rollers, and means for driving said rollers.

26. In a ribbing device, the combination4 of rollers arranged in a triangular group, a ribbing bar in the space between said rollers and having its operating edge projecting between two of said rollers, means for driving two ofsaid rollers from one of said rollers, and means for adjusting the driven rollers. 27. In an apparatus for softening paper, in combination, means for loosening portions Aof multi-layer paper, a pair of inclined ribbing bars, rollers for directing the softened .paper to said ribbing bars, a vertically eX- tending roller operatively interposed between said ribbing bars and feed `rollers additional to the first mentioned rollers.

v28. In an apparatus for softening paper,

lin combination, a frame, a pair of inclined ribbing bars extending diagonally of said frame from side to side thereof, a pair of vertically extending feed rollers at one side of said frame, and a pair of feed rollers extending transversely of said frame.

29. In an apparatus for softening paper, in combination, a frame having at one end thereof a pair of kneading rollers, a pair of inclined ribbing bars supported by said frame, a pair of vertically extendingfeed rollers at one side of said frame, and a pair said frame and located at t e opposite end of of feed rollers extendin transversely of Y said frame from the first mentioned rollers.

atively interposed between `said ribbing bars,

and a air of transverse feed rollers located beyon the second ribbin bar. 1

In testimon whereof, hereunto aiiix my signature in e presence of two witnesses.

THEODORE SCI-IERF.

. Witnesses:

H. MILLER, J B. HULL. 

